Altratronic’s BodyBlog

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http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/gordon_lavelle_hit_training_interview.htm
(This interview concerns the book Training for Mass and high-intensity training in general).http://www.bodybuilders.com/gordon_lavelle.htm
(Over 40 bodybuilder of the week).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdQTGfhyzro

This is from the 1995 Cal. I got second in the HW division (this was back before the Superheavyweight class was added; I was 234 pounds).

I uploaded a picture I took just after my 40th birthday (see my gallery). First of all–and you may have heard this many times–but weight training keeps you young. I’ll leave it up to anyone looking at this picture to decide if I look young, but I can say without hesitation that I feel that way.

At the same time, in my first couple decades of weight training, I never even thought about its anti-aging effects. I always trained with weights in order to put on a good deal of muscle. So it turned out to be a nice surprise that all this talk about the anti-aging effects of weight training appears to be true.

I also owe a great deal to the style of training I use. I might sound like a broken record here (to those who know me), but high-intensity training has made all of this possible. I don’t think I ever would have put on as much muscle without it. And as I am past 40 and well into my third decade of lifting weights, longevity is now a major concern. Through all the years, I have been virtually injury-free–something few people that have been lifting as long as I can say. I’ve stayed this way because HIT training is far less likely to produce injury than the typical 12-20 set per body part scheme that most people seem to use. I devoted an entire chapter of my book (Training for Mass) to this subject (and BTW, thanks to David Robson of bodybuilding.com for giving me a great review).

I will keep training as long as my body will allow. Hopefully my 50th birthday shot will look very similar to this one. I don’t see why it shouldn’t. And unless some revolutionary and supremely effective new method for training is discovered, I will continue to use HIT training; it is something that changed my life, and it is something that I was so impressed with that I wrote an entire book on the subject.

Thanks!
Gordon

Hi there. First of all, I would like to sincerely thank everyone that has bought a copy of my book, Training for Mass. Enough though I am pretty much a nobody in the world of bodybuilding, my book has been outselling just about all of the books of the biggest names in pro competition (except of course for Arnold’s, but that’s more of a picture book from a mega-celebrity than a serious training guide). This has come as a rather huge and pleasant surprise to me. There are also some people I have met that have actively promoted my book without asking a single thing in return–and I didn’t even ask you to do it. You know who you are. I really appreciate it.

I have learned quite a bit over the years, not just from personal experience, but from considering the theories and viewpoints of other sources. It was this accumulation of information–combined with personal experience–that allowed me to feel qualified to write a book on gaining muscle. At the same time, I will admit to not knowing everything, and I readily invite criticism and commentary. You have to have this attitude if you’re going to write a book.
I just posted a new shot of my quads, taken in a mirror this morning (2/1/2008). I recently heard a comment that the information provided in my book is in general very good, but that I am dead wrong in recommending the adductor exercise, because "the human body doesn’t work that way." I actually used to have very good quads, but with inferior inner-thigh development. This without question changed for the better once I started using the adductor exercise. I strongly feel that this exercise gave my legs the overall balance that they were lacking.
Does this mean that adductors will work well for everyone? No, of course not. However, if someone is to assert that adductors do not work at all, ever, I think I have provided some compelling evidence to the contrary.

I wrote the book to share my knowledge. I have no vested interest in whether people choose to use the adductor machines in their gym or not. I will continue to recommend them for as long as I am able to able to keep marching myself to the gym. (I figure I have at least another 40 years in me!) So–give them a try and see for yourself!

Thanks again,
Gordon

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